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If you hope to carve out a successful career for yourself in construction, then you need to think about how you behave and cope under certain circumstances. For example, modifying your behaviour in interview situations can obviously greatly enhance your chances of being offered a construction job in the first place.

It doesn’t stop there, however. Your attitude, along with your ability, will largely determine how rewarding – financially or otherwise – your career in construction is. You must also learn how to cope in stressful situations in order to make a success of your construction job.

How to behave during a construction job interview

The construction industry has undergone significant changes over the years, and it is no longer enough simply to turn up at a site and ask for a job. It is more and more likely that you will have to undergo an interview before being offered a construction job, and there are several things to keep in mind about your behaviour in this situation.

Do not be rude to anyone, as you don’t know who your interviewer might be. Always be polite and friendly, and make sure your handshake is firm. Think carefully about your answers, and don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer to clarify and points you don’t fully understand.

Always remember to turn off your mobile phone before the interview begins – it going off at the wrong time can have a negative impact on your chances of being offered that construction job. Speak clearly and project your voice so you exude confidence.

Never bad-mouth previous employers as this will not reflect well on you, and never lie when being interviewed, as it is likely you will be caught out through your body language or through holes in your story.

Positive body language is important when being interviewed for a construction job – lean forward towards the interviewer to make you look keen, never slouch back in your chair, cross your arms and legs or look too relaxed. Eye contact throughout the interview is also important.

How to behave after landing a construction job

All individuals are faced with stress in their life, some more than others, and everyone will deal with it differently. If your current construction job has left you feeling stressed then you must learn to manage it or it will adversely affect both your work and personal life.

Interviewing within the construction and building industry to find construction jobs is sometimes a bit unique from other industries. This is an industry where decisions are often made on the spot, and seeking construction jobs means being prepared to settle on an offer during your first meeting.

The best advice when on a construction trade job interview is that this event may be the most important career advancement step that you will ever take. You may think it’s possible to sail up the ranks of a company culture while being recognized for your ability and competence or never have to sell yourself or endure the rigors of a construction jobs interview. However, in today’s competitive workplace, it is almost impossible to advance your construction career (even within your own firm) without learning how to interview effectively. With every step up the corporate ladder, there are job evaluations and construction interviews (formal or otherwise) which determine who moves up and whom stays put.

The purpose of the construction interview is to win a construction job offer that you can accept. Job interviewing for any other reason isn’t worth the risk of exposure if you are currently employed. It isn’t worth the possibility of damaging your reputation if you are being perceived as using a good-faith, external offer in order to advance your construction career internally – or using it to gain information about external pay. If you are simply interested in learning about other firms and other job opportunities, there are safer and better ways to do this. You can discuss your concerns and test interview with construction recruiters or construction headhunters. If you decide to submit your construction resume for an interview, then you should decide to win at the construction interview and get an acceptable construction job offer.

As with most victories, winning at an interview means that you must be willing too work at preparation. You will need to develop skills and learn how to perform under a variety of circumstances – with a variety of personalities.

Don’t sell yourself short by going into a construction position or building trades job interview trying to learn about the construction vacancy. You should already have done your research before the meeting and go into the interview with the single goal of lading a construction jobs offer. Remember the purpose of submitting a construction resume is to obtain a job interview. The purpose of a job interview is to get an offer. Going on an interview with less of a goal may compromise your option to obtain an offer in the future.

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The most important aspect of construction recruitment is the selection interview. A candidate only has one chance in which to create the right impression and, given that employers have high expectations of potential employees, it is important to make as much of the opportunity as possible. Interview situations of any kind can be stressful and demanding environments; an interviewee can feel under scrutiny and worry about the minutiae involved: should I have answered that question differently? Did I come across as nervous? Did I come across as over-confident?

Interviewers are not there to ‘trip you up’ or trick you into saying something that might reflect badly on you; on the contrary, it is in their interests to find out as much as they can about your attitude and potential as part of their workforce. In other words, you stand as much chance as the next candidate, as long as you approach the interview candidly, honestly and have done some preparation and planning in advance.

When applying for jobs in construction, there are a number of steps you can take to improve your chances of becoming successful. Prior to the interview, it is worth taking some time to research the companies you are interested in working for. There are many resources available on the internet and, not only will this help you to refine your interview approach, it will also make you appear positive and focused.

Using this method, you may find that you are able to answer questions more readily and you can tailor your answers to suit the philosophy of the company. In addition, you may have knowledge of the wage systems involved, in which case it is a topic you can avoid in the interview situation; ideally these should be discussed at a later date or, if the subject is broached, you can make sure that your answers do not appear unreasonable.

The aim of the interview is to present yourself as a professional who can work as part of a team. Construction recruitment type jobs rely heavily on ‘team players’ and if you can refer to positive and challenging experiences to reinforce your CV, these can play a useful part in interview technique. Focus on explaining how negative challenges were overcome to a satisfactory and positive resolution.

In terms of basic conduct, you want to avoid any behaviour that may present you as unprofessional, negative or unfocused. Ensure that you arrive approximately 10 minutes before your interview is due. Ensure that you project a confident, yet approachable attitude and ensure that you listen attentively to all that is said to you. Listening reinforces the idea that you are able to work as part of a team and is a simple display of respect. In turn, when you come to speak, ensure that you do so clearly and articulately; avoid using slang or mumbling.

Today’s job hunter faces great challenges when seeking employment within the construction industry. The market in A/E/C (construction, architecture and engineering) for hiring has been very slow, and at some points have reached over 20% unemployment, making this industry one of the most difficult markets to work in. However, the good news is, even in the toughest markets, there are still 80% of the people within this industry are employed. There are many ways to obtain a construction job interview, but some are more effective than others. Job interviewing is obtained from a variety of sources, many of which are offline but many are now online. When job hunting in the A/E/C industry. Job candidates need to stay focused on their network of contacts within the industry, and on niche resources advertising construction jobs.

Below are the top 6 ways to obtain a construction job interview. Job seekers should focus on utilizing all methods simultaneously in today’s tough employment environment.

1. Private Or Unadvertised Construction Job Openings

About three out of four construction management hires, including those handled by construction search firms, take place through private or unadvertised construction job openings (openings unknown to the public). These construction jobs are the most confidential and difficult to find, but have the greatest potential for job flexibility and obtaining an exceptional construction salary and compensation.

Private openings are often rarely managed with more than a few candidate interviews before a hire takes place. You need to be one of those.

Even when there are no current construction job opportunities available, an employer can often create a construction job opening when the right candidate comes along, even in the worst of times. Some employers will want to upgrade their weak links during a down turn, while others want to expand and capture market share while their competition is holding back.

You need “to come along” before the construction job opening becomes public. That’s where networking comes in. A recommendation from an influential referral fosters immediate trust and respect from a potential employer, and can provide you treatment as a choice candidate.

2. Private Networking

In your Rolodex or contact manager, research your list of key contacts. Also look through your industry’s association membership directory, and call every one you know who has a job in your field that might be willing to help you with job leads. In many cases, your close friends and business associates will be the best sources for job leads and referrals. They are also most likely to respect your confidentiality and offer their genuine help. In addition, they may even be able to refer you to a construction recruiter or other construction employment resources.

They might also be good references and sources for ideas as to what is going on in your market, who is hiring and what firms are doing well.

3. Direct Solicitation

Another good way to obtain a construction job interview is to directly solicit construction employers of choice. Research the industry and identify six to ten primary targets for your search.

Within these target firms, identify the direct construction hiring authority (immediate construction manager of the construction position you seek) and contact him/her directly. Try to obtain a personal meeting by stating your construction employment interest. You can email them, fax them, send them a letter in the postal mail or call them. Contacting subcontractors or suppliers to see who can give you an introduction is also a good idea.

Another approach is to find out where the supervisor frequents such as a industry trade association, or other facility that would foster a chance meeting. Of course, the least effective and most risky means to contact the supervisor is through the mail. However, if you intend to send something through the mail, use express mail in order to get the proper attention. A direct solicitation risks exposure and may not be the best approach if you are concerned with confidentiality. Even if you ask the employer to respect your privacy, you are still vulnerable, unless you are unemployed and are not concerned with who might intercept your letter.

Have you ever imagined what it was like to homeschool in the early 1980s? Most families were forced to either make their own homeschool curriculum or choose from a handful of available Christian homeschool curriculum packages. Complete with workbooks for multiple subject areas and accompanying teacher’s guides, quizzes, and tests, homeschool curriculum packages helped parents feel confident in providing a comprehensive, rock-solid education. What’s more, the well-organized and structured lesson plan format made homeschooling more acceptable to questioning school officials and skeptical family members.

Times have changed, however, and today’s families enjoy society’s more accepted view on homeschooling, as well as hundreds, if not thousands, of homeschool curriculum options. From freebies on the Internet to curriculum companies offering preschool or single-course curriculum in math, reading, or science, homeschooling families have an abundance of resources to create a customized homeschool curriculum that perfectly matches their child’s learning style. With so much at their disposal, is there still a need for homeschoolers to continue using the classic homeschool curriculum package? You bet! Here are some reasons why:

Although time and technology have changed homeschooling, parents still experience the same self-doubts and insecurities when choosing homeschool curriculum for the first time. Unsure of their abilities to teach academics and how to start, first-time homeschooling parents can alleviate fears and find success using time-tested homeschool curriculum packages. Like the outline of a research paper, step-by-step teaching directions and easy-to-follow curriculum guides provide the foundation on which to build one’s teaching confidence. Eventually, homeschooling parents learn how their child learns best and feel secure to deviate from lesson plans and add creative supplemental resources to enrich their homeschooling day.

The expense of homeschool curriculum packages may seem like a detriment when choosing homeschool curriculum. However, families with more than one child should keep in mind that non-consumable curriculum, such as computer-based, CD-ROM curriculum, can actually save a family more money over the course of several years. In addition, most homeschool curriculum packages usually cost less than individually purchasing the core subjects of math, science, language arts, history and geography, and Bible. Plus, many top-name publishers make it easy to customize packaged curriculum. Receiving the same discounted pricing, parents can mix and match when a child needs a higher or lower grade level in a particular subject area.

Since the department of education in most states recognizes homeschool curriculum packages offered by major publishing companies, homeschooling parents can avoid the hassle of submitting scope and sequences or lesson plans, and they can meet other curriculum requirements for state homeschooling laws.

Children transitioning from a public or private school to a homeschooling environment will find it easier to adjust using homeschool curriculum packages. Replicating the traditional school model, the curriculum provides a more familiar learning approach.

Teaching with all-in-one homeschool curriculum packages also eliminates the concern homeschooling parents have in addressing learning gaps. Consistently using one curriculum ensures children are learning information that builds on itself in each subject area. Plus, parents find that many subjects within homeschool curriculum packages complement each other to provide a complete, comprehensive education.

Online networking has not by any stretch of the imagination discarded certain out-dated capacities, such as composing a letter of presentation, setting a telephone call, saying “Please”, and Thank you”. There still are circumstances where a composed letter of presentation has esteem – and can yield openings, as well.

Give me a chance to present myself

What are a portion of the purposes behind composing a letter of presentation?

· Career change – Use a letter of prologue to inform individuals from your effective reach (SOI), to tell them you have changed vocations and are presently fabricating another life as a land operator.

· New specialist customer building – A letter of presentation can be utilized as a feature of your first customer building promoting effort.

· Introducing another showcasing arrangement – Your letter can concentrate more on a concise presentation, trailed by a portrayal of your new advertising arrangement.

· Change of land organizations – Use a letter of prologue to tell your SOIs and forthcoming customers of your new alliance, and let them comprehend what your times of involvement, adjusted to the assets and experience of your new realty firm can offer home purchasers and merchants.

The components of presentation

Initially, recall that you are a specialist. You are determined to present yourself, the administrations you bring to the table, and state why you are so exceptionally fit the bill to help your customers.

· Style – The style of your letter can be amicable however organized in a business letter arrange. Your letter ought to be brief and to the point, and no longer than one page.

· Subject – The subject will be to express your motivation for composing.

· The specifics – Make an announcement of significant worth add about what you bring to the table your customers and what separates you as a specialist in your neighborhood land advertise.

· Call to activity – Conclude your letter by telling your perusers that you will be in contact with them.

· Conclusion – Thank your perusers for their time and let them know all the distinctive ways they can be in contact with you, including all online networking stages and through your site.

Thinking about using an online Christian curriculum program to home educate your child? For many parents, this educational option provides a unique opportunity for their child to receive an affordable, quality Christian education. However, whether parents are supplementing a few courses along with other homeschool curriculum or enrolling their child in an entire distance learning program, there are some questions to answer before choosing an online Christian curriculum program. To determine which is best for your child, consider these five important questions:

Is the online curriculum truly Bible-based?
Many distance learning programs offer online curriculum that does not present Christianity favorably or even relate their subject matter to God. Since having a child taught through the lens of a Christian worldview is an important consideration, Christian parents would be wise to research online homeschool curriculum reviews before purchasing curriculum. Opinions and advice from other homeschooling families will provide helpful information in choosing the right online distance learning program for your family.

What curriculum formats are offered in the online program?
There are several curriculum options offered in online homeschool programs, such as:
• Web-based – Where all materials are available online and completed over the Internet.
• Computer-based – Where curriculum includes ebooks, satellite broadcasts, or CD-ROM materials sent to your home.
• Traditional – Where some materials are online, but most of the classes use conventional, print-based workbooks.

Is the online curriculum student led or teacher directed?
• Student-led curriculum allows a child to work independently at his own pace. The child usually interacts only with the material and receives computerized feedback that corrects and grades his work.
• Teacher-directed curriculum provides a child with access to a teacher and the material. Personal, one-on-one interaction is available with tutors. In addition, some online school programs provide forums or discussion boards to interact with other students. The child normally works independently and has flexible deadlines for completing assigned lessons.

What lesson assignments and evaluations are offered?
When determining what online Christian curriculum to use, parents should think about what types of assignments they want their child to do for each subject. Does the curriculum offer fun-filled projects, multimedia tutorials, and other online learning tools? Plus, what criteria is used to determine if a child has learned the subject matter correctly. Will tests and quizzes be mostly multiple choice and true or false questions, or does the online curriculum also offer short answer and essay writing tests?

Is the online Christian curriculum program accredited?
Although accreditation usually doesn’t play a major role in elementary level grades, some families do want their older children to receive a degree from an accredited institution. While the curriculum itself is not accredited, an accredited distance learning institution is able to provide an official high school diploma that does offer more recognition of a child’s academic achievement to colleges. However, many of today’s universities are much more favorable to home education and accept a child for entrance based on a homeschool transcript and ACT or SAT test scores.

Finding an online Christian curriculum program doesn’t have to be difficult. Simply use these five questions to help narrow down your options, and you’ll be sure to find the online distance learning program that fits your family’s home education needs perfectly.

When it comes to teaching preschoolers, theme-based units are not only fun, they’re also great for integrating learning across several subject areas. Language, literature, math, science, history, geography, music, art, and Bible topics are easily included within a topical unit study which enhances early childhood education in a child’s area of interest.

Using these three steps and the helpful A-Z list of ideas below will help you create an effective elementary thematic unit program for your child.

1 – Identify Your Theme
Integrated learning units usually center around a specific theme or topic, such as safety, belonging, animals, or food. Very often, a piece of children’s literature or a particular Bible passage will serve as the core of a unit. Questions you should ask yourself when planning your theme include

–What do I want my child to learn as a result of participating in this unit?
–Is my child naturally curious about this topic?
–Does my child have some previous background knowledge about this theme?

2 – Create Theme-related Activities
Thinking of ideas for specific activities within the theme requires brainstorming. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, brainstorm together with a friend and consider these questions:

–What learning activities or play fit naturally into this unit?
–Are the learning activities developmentally appropriate, not too hard or too easy?
–Are the activities purposeful and worthwhile? (Just because an activity is cute or crafty doesn’t mean it’s a good reason to include it in your preschool lessons.)

3 – Implement the Theme
You’re now ready to implement the creative unit study you’ve designed for your preschooler’s early childhood education. To make learning more fun, ask yourself the following:

–What’s an intriguing way to introduce the unit?
–What books, manipulatives, curriculum, and other learning resources do I need?
–How will I end our theme-based unit study, evaluate its success, and assess my child’s development according to its standards?